


Stars

by rogue_1102



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Bardock Has Feelings, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, Partners to Lovers, Secret Relationship, Song Inspired, True Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:07:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rogue_1102/pseuds/rogue_1102
Summary: This has to be the last time, Bardock.” Her soft voice trembled but carried a resolute edge.“That’s what you said the last time, Gine.” He murmured wryly and rested his head upon hers. In spite of his disregarding words, he unconsciously tightened his hold on her. Her comments had previously become somewhat of a banter between the two of them - both knowing that they should follow them, but knowing that they wouldn't.Inspired by Rewrite the Stars from the Greatest Showman.
Relationships: Bardock/Gine (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 22





	Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Bardine Zine
> 
> TY to the Dungeon Force for all your help with this piece...and TY Lovelykotori for organizing the zine. All my 🙏

“You should have seen the look on his face before I blasted him away!”

A chorus of laughter echoed and bounced off the walls of the small galley as the drink flowed liberally amongst the rowdy crew. Another successful purge was in the books for the PTO and they would soon be on to the next unexpecting world that caught its eye.

Bardock watched the merrymaking of his team with wry amusement and undisguised pride. This ragtag group of subordinates had performed admirably, and they had earned the privilege to let off some steam. Despite their repeated insistence that he join their debauched revelry, he steadfastly declined their invitation and maintained his seat on the sidelines. 

“Someone needs to keep a clear head. We wouldn’t want a repeat of the Leek incident, would we?” He stated with a raised eyebrow as he tipped his own cup back to take a long drink and scratched at the healing wounds on his cheek.

Another round of laughter filled the small space as the crew loudly filled in the gaps of the incident with their own outrageous anecdotes, much to Leek's chagrin. While his team seemed satisfied with his argument, for the time being at least, it was only partially true. Tonight his mind was on something, or rather someone else.

That someone, was the diminutive Ensign Gine who stood across the room. Her appointment to his team was an inescapable happenstance of bureaucracy, but her fellow crew had loudly vocalized their disapproval of her assignment. His crew saw a sad Saiyan without battle lust, a pathetic soldier and a waste of their time - and they let her know their feelings often.

She avoided confrontation, both on and off the battlefield. Her natural gentleness, and lack of killer instinct, easily made her an outlier in a group that craved combat above all else; however, she took their constant mockery with a good-natured acceptance and offered little in the way of a verbal defense of herself. 

Any other soldier would have buckled under the pressure, but she remained upright and proud. He was certain that, if pushed, she would not be an easy target to fell. She did not have to show her strength for him to know it was there, and it beckoned his eyes to linger on her during missions longer than what should have been acceptable in a normal regimental hierarchy.

She stood slightly apart from the rest, attempting to fit in as best she could while nursing a drink in one hand and feigned acknowledgement of her comrades antics, her eyes shifting to his own. A small smile quirked the edge of his mouth as he held her gaze. Despite his attention, she maintained the air of professionalism she always kept when they were in view of others and merely nodded in acknowledgement before looking away, a slight flush darkening her pale cheeks. 

This was a dance they had performed many times, in many other places. It was not forbidden for crew to fraternize, but it would be frowned upon if discovered; therefore, their rendezvous had to be carefully crafted to avoid suspicion. Although he trusted his crew with his life, he knew he could not count on their loyalty when their natural dislike of the Ensign was so prevalent. 

In spite of logical caution, he felt his  ardor grow while he took in her lithe form and locked onto her dark brown orbs. Her face remained open and kind, as always, but there was an amorous twinkle in her eyes as they stared back at his own heated ones. The small female then set her cup down and bid the others goodnight. Her fellow compatriots did not seem to notice her exit, still engrossed in recounting Leek’s many romantic failures.

As his eyes tracked her departure, Bardock placed his cup on the table and rose from his seat. A few moments were spent socializing until he finally excused himself from the raucous company despite their pleas for him to stay. The low thumps of his boots reverberated down the hall as the burly male made his way towards his private quarters, anticipating what he’d find when he arrived. To his pleasure, he saw the object of his desire standing by his door with a come-hither smile on her face.

He grinned wolfishly as she stood on her toes, reached up and grabbed his head to wrench it towards her own. A low growl reverberated in his chest when she kissed him forcefully and thoroughly. He smiled against her mouth and cast a quick sideways look to confirm their privacy before he returned her exuberant affection, eagerly gathering her in his arms and walking them inside his quarters.

============================

A shiver ran up his body and, when he awoke, he noticed his bed was empty. Bardock turned, eyes frantically searching his quarters until they landed upon a slight figure in the darkness. Ensign Gine stood there quietly, her bare body wrapped in the sheet, looking out the portside window. He watched her  take in the dark, uncaring void that was punctuated with small pinpricks of light, and found himself becoming entranced in the way the streaking starlight bathed her delicate features and reflected in her eyes. 

She was truly beautiful. 

Bardock eased himself off the bed, and made his way to stand behind her; however, she did not turn at his approach. Gently, he wrapped his arms and tail around her waist before dipping his head to the crook of her neck to deeply inhale their combined musky scents. A sigh reached his ears as she leaned back into his warm embrace and rested her head on the broad expanse of his chest.

“This has to be the last time, Bardock.” Her soft voice trembled but carried a resolute edge.

“That’s what you said the last time, Gine.” He murmured wryly and rested his head upon hers. In spite of his disregarding words, he unconsciously tightened his hold on her. Her comments had previously become somewhat of a banter between the two of them - both knowing that they should follow them, but knowing that they wouldn't. 

This time, however, he felt her spine stiffen and she turned to look at him. He carefully schooled his features, a practice borne from years of military service, as she stared at him for several moments and her face broadcasted the entirety of her emotions. If she was beautiful at rest, she was breathtaking when provoked and he held his breath as he became lost in the fire that sparked in her eyes . 

“I mean it, you fool!" she exclaimed as she jabbed a finger into his chest. As quickly as her temper flared, it dampened when she whispered softly, "You are lying to yourself if you think we can continue this , " and cast her eyes downwards. "You.. as a commander, deserve someone who matches your combat excellence and record.” 

Upon hearing the dismissive words he never wanted to hear from her, Bardock grunted in annoyance and released his hold. Those words, and their implications were well known to all who found themselves in military service. It was expected for all combatants to find a partner, with similar abilities, willing to procreate to ensure the strength of their race.

He had previously assumed that when and if he found a female he was willing to impregnate, the affair would be perfunctory and without any emotion. But the thought of laying with someone other than the one in front of him made him want to retch in disgust. He turned and walked a few steps away, facing the doorway with his hands on his hips as he chewed on her words.

“Regardless, I’ve been ordered to hand in my resignation. We just need to end this now...for both of our sakes.” 

Although he could not see her, he could sense her growing anxiety and sadness. Its presence permeated the room like an omnipresent weight.

“No.” 

The single word, said with a low growl, hung in the air. “I don’t accept this.” He turned back around to stride purposefully forward only to gently clasp her face in both hands and rest his forehead against hers. His tail also snaked its way beneath her covering and entwined itself with hers in an unconscious effort to anchor her to him. “And I know you don’t want to either, Gine.” 

Minutes seemed to pass as they absorbed the words that were spoken until finally she shook her head and attempted to pull away. “It doesn’t matter what we want. We don’t have a choice!” Her words were firm. However, there were tears that threatened to spill from the corner of her eyes. Additionally, the tail that tightened around his own was in traitorous defiance of her exclamations. “Do you think this is easy for me!? What happens in here…doesn't matter to anyone but you or me and...”

The statement was left unfinished and, for a moment, the only sounds heard were the tandem inhalations and exhalations of both figures in the room before the young female spoke again. “It’s not in the stars for us, Bardock. Accept it, and move on.” Her tail became limp, extricating itself from his own, and the thin sheet fell to the floor. The Ensign slowly walked away to pick up her uniform and let the continued silence finalize the conversation. 

“Do you remember our excursion to Planet 719?” 

The mention of the planet had its intended reaction. Gine stopped and turned to regard the male with a resentful look. “You mean Planet Galgbez?”

Bardock inwardly winced at its name. Although their job was never personal, it was easier to think of the planets as numbers. Part of him felt that the Ensign purposefully remembered the names to spite him or perhaps, more accurately, the military brass who took orders from the PTO. A small rebellion, but one that further solidified his opinion about her.

His head sagged for a moment before he met her eyes again and continued,“The native population hit us harder than we expected, and you chose to ignore a direct order to retreat.” 

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she crossed her arms and nodded her assent. “The team was climbing into their pods to leave, but I refused and they left without me , ” she huffed with amusement briefly, before walking towards the bed and sitting down. “As I recall, the Commander was not very happy with me.”

“He wasn’t. But if you hadn’t stayed, if you had accepted the command and not made your own choice to go back, he would have died alone... and forgotten.” Bardock brought a hand behind his head, and chuckled, “You never do what is expected of you, Gine. If you did, you would be more than a lackluster soldier. But you still dragged my sorry ass four clicks back to the rendezvous zone.” 

As quickly as it had appeared, the mirth vanished and was replaced with an intense seriousness. “It only took one click for me to know that I...loved you , ” he began, but Gine gasped and covered her mouth at his declaration before she quickly looked away and rose to make her way towards the door.

Bardock moved to place his large frame between her and the exit, but she shoved him out of her way with a strength that surprised and incited him. Determined to stop her escape, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his embrace.

“Let me go! You have no right to say that, especially _now_.” She struggled to free herself from his hold, but he remained immovable.

"Then look at me, and tell me you don't feel the same. If you don’t? I'll let you go." Immediately her struggles ceased, and a small shuddered gasp escaped her body. Her shoulders started to shake with restrained cries, and she relented into his embrace.

"You say it's not in the stars for us, but why should we trust our lives to lights that may be no more than a memory?"

With one hand he stroked her spikey locks and the other he kept around her waist, his thumb tracing the curvature of her hip until he felt her head tilted upwards. Bardock braced himself for her rejection, knowing that it would crush any lingering hope of happiness he had but also acknowledging that he would respect her final decision. 

"I... love you, too. I want to make this work, if you're sure…" Her words were cut off as his mouth descended to claim hers in a passionate kiss. His grasp was firm and a happy rumble vibrated across his chest. After a long moment, he reluctantly pulled away before replying , "All I know is that I will never want anyone else, and I want to be that mate for you...if you'll let me.”

Gine nodded and eagerly returned his kiss, a smile breaking on her face as unshed tears streaked down her cheeks. She clung to his form as if to eliminate any physical space that was between them, and walked him back towards the bed.

The stars, still silent, kept their vigil as the two became one in both body and soul. 


End file.
